Two U.S. service members were killed and five others injured in an unclear incident in northern Iraq, Operation Inherent Resolve announced early Sunday.
OIR revealed that “initial reports indicate the incident was not due to enemy contact” but clarified that all of the service members were “conducting combat operations in northern Iraq” at the time of the incident. The incident remains under investigation and more information will become available after the families of the deceased are notified.
“The entire counter-ISIS Coalition sends our deepest condolences to these heroes’ families, friends and teammates,” said Lt. Gen. Stephen J. Townsend, commander of Combined Joint Task Force – Operation Inherent Resolve, said in a statement.
“There are no words to describe the respect I have for you and sorrow I have for your loss. I hope there is some small solace in knowing their loss has meaning for our country and all the nations of the Coalition as the fallen service members were fighting to defeat a truly evil enemy and to protect our homelands,” he continued.
The service member deaths are the first since Army 1st Lt. Weston Lee was killed in action near Mosul in April during operations to retake the city from the Islamic State.
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